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Gardener shares money-saving hack using common household materials: 'It does not have to be complicated'

"I'm incredibly happy."

One clever TikTok user shows how to make a sturdy DIY trellis using scrap materials from around the yard.

Photo Credit: TikTok

If you're growing cucumbers, beans, or other climbing plants this season, there's an easy DIY hack that's saving gardeners money.

The scoop

TikTok creator Alli (@dailyallii) shared a clever way to build a sturdy trellis using scrap materials from around the yard. Instead of buying expensive metal or wood structures, she used leftover fencing pieces, a thin tree branch, and crafting twine to create a simple frame that helps her cucumbers grow tall and healthy.

"It does not have to be hard; it does not have to be complicated," she explains in the video about the trellis. "My cucumbers are incredibly happy; I'm incredibly happy."

@dailyallii

DIY garden trellis! If you've got sticks, you can support your plants! Sometimes I think we (me) just make gardening too complicated. To whoever sees this, I hope you have a wonderful harvest 💗

♬ original sound - alli

The setup is straightforward: pieces of scrap wood serve as side supports, while the thin branch acts as a crossbar. Twine is tied in vertical strands to help guide the vines upward. The result is a lightweight but strong structure that allows air to flow around the plants — preventing mold and making harvesting much easier.

This trellis design works for cucumbers, peas, beans, or any vining vegetables that need a little lift. It's a great example of how to reuse materials you already have to create something both practical and beautiful.

How it's helping

Besides saving money, this DIY solution makes it easier to grow your own food, which means fewer trips to the store, less packaging waste, and more fresh produce from your own backyard. Vertical growing also maximizes small garden spaces and reduces pest issues by keeping fruit off the ground.

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Gardening itself is a proven stress reliever and mood booster, according to research from the American Society for Horticultural Science, and it encourages more sustainable habits that cut down on food waste and planet-heating pollution from transport.

What everyone's saying

Fellow gardeners in the comments loved the simplicity of the idea, and some shared ideas of their own.

 "I use leftover fence wire to trellis my cucumbers and beans," one said.

Another added: "I use bamboo that I harvest from neighbors to make trellis."

A third TikTok user had a plan for even larger plants that need more heavy-duty support: "I have some twine. This gives me an idea. It's a little thicker than what you have. I was given it for free. I'm gonna make post on the back of the old bedframe. That wooden and use that for my squash."

How would you describe your gardening skills?

I can grow anything 😎

I can grow some stuff 🧑‍🌾

I don't kill every plant 😬

I shouldn't be allowed near plants ☠️

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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